The MacValley blog
Welcome to the MacValley blog, your first stop for all the latest MacValley news and views.
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The MacValley blog Editor: Tom Briant
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Saturday, January 28, 2017
Senior Correspondent Arnold Woodworth's Weekly Web Wrap-up for January 25, 2017
you need to upgrade to iOS 10.2.1 because of the serious security holes found in iOS 10.2.
http://www.forbes.com/sites/gordonkelly/2017/01/25/apple-ios-10-2-1-release-should-you-upgrade/
http://www.forbes.com/sites/gordonkelly/2017/01/24/apple-ios-10-2-1-serious-security-problem-fixed/
Apple quashes bugs in iOS, macOS and Safari
Fixes new MacBook Pro's graphics problems with software update
Apple updated macOS Sierra to 10.12.3, patching 11 security vulnerabilities and addressing a graphics hardware problem in the latest 15-in. MacBook Pro laptop.
At the same time, Apple released iOS 10.2.1, an update that fixed 18 security flaws, the bulk of them in WebKit, the foundation of the baked-in Safari browser.
http://www.computerworld.com/article/3160850/apple-ios/apple-quashes-bugs-in-ios-macos-and-safari.html
Update every Apple device you have as soon as possible
Apple released updates to the operating systems behind all its most popular devices—including the iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, Apple TV, and Apple computers—and although the company often updates its operating systems with minor changes or fixes, these may be more pressing.
Apple also released updates for its Safari web browser, and the Windows versions of its iCloud and iTunes software—all of which have similar security issues.
https://qz.com/893022/update-any-iphones-macs-apple-watches-or-apple-tvs-you-have-right-now-aapl/
Video:
Here's how to use one of the many apps to buy and trade bitcoin
http://www.businessinsider.com/tech-finance-coinbase-buy-sell-trade-bitcoin-app-coinbase-2017-1
Apple will soon let app makers publicly respond to reviews
Apple has informed developers that beginning with iOS 10.3, they’ll be able to reply to reviews and have those responses stay publicly visible to other users.
Currently, developers have no way of directly responding to reviews on the app stores and instead must communicate with customers via email, social media, and other means.
Apple is also trying to streamline the process of rating and reviewing apps on the user’s end. Another change coming to iOS 10.3 will let you do enter a star rating without leaving the app you’re in and being kicked over to the App Store.
http://www.theverge.com/2017/1/24/14374744/apple-app-store-reviews-developer-replies-public-update
Apple builds iPhone’s Night Shift into macOS to help you sleep
The latest developer beta of macOS Sierra is learning a trick from iOS to help you sleep a little more easily: Night shift.
The feature ... changes your screen’s color temperature by filtering out blue wavelengths of light. It basically just makes everything on your screen looks orange-yellowish.
The idea, as backed up by science, is that blue wavelengths of light tend to keep you up at night.
The feature is currently only available in the beta app, it’s only a matter of time until it arrives for more users.
http://thenextweb.com/apple/2017/01/24/apple-builds-iphones-night-shift-macos-help-sleep/
Apple's Night Shift is coming to macOS
Last year Apple added a feature called "Night Shift" to iOS.
It just popped up in the latest 10.12.4 beta of Sierra.
http://www.theverge.com/2017/1/24/14373370/macos-sierra-beta-night-shift-update-blue-light
Trying to buy a new laptop is a good reminder of what makes Apple so special
Buying a Mac is so much easier and more straightforward than buying a PC ever has been. And it's a big part of why Apple keeps growing market share in a shrinking PC industry.
http://www.businessinsider.com/buying-apple-mac-vs-windows-pc-2017-1
Man rear-ended by distracted driver blames Apple for crash
iver Julio Ceja, who lives in Orange County, claims his accident could have been prevented with lock-out technology, which disables the phone while driving.
But he accuses of Apple of purposely not implementing the patented safety feature, which he claims the company has had since 2008.
The lawsuit seeks to stop sales in California of iPhones without the lock-out technology, as well as force Apple to update the safety system on all current iPhones.
http://nypost.com/2017/01/24/man-rear-ended-by-distracted-driver-blames-apple-for-crash/
http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2017/01/apple-sued-again-for-not-deploying-iphone-tech-to-block-distracted-driving/
https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2017/jan/24/apple-class-action-lawsuit-texting-driving-iphone-patent
Apple iOS 10.2.1 Has A Great Secret Feature
iOS 10.2.1 slams the door shut on two significant security holes.
http://www.forbes.com/sites/gordonkelly/2017/01/24/apple-ios-10-2-1-malware-security-patches/
This web page has a link, every day, to a new list of “Paid iPhone Apps on Sale For Free”.
http://bgr.com/deals/
Is Apple Still Innovative?
Apple is repeatedly misjudged in the market, because Apple is playing a different game than everyone else. This particular game is both profitable and is eating deeply into the territory which sustains its competitors.
Microsoft has long specialized in computer software, not hardware. Google has made money mainly from advertising.
It’s worth observing that for the last two decades, Apple’s insistence on making hardware (rather than being a pure software/services company) has been heavily critiqued by investors who see hardware as archaic, and the future to be pure digital. All web and data.
So it’s ironic that we are now observing both Microsoft, Google (and to a lesser extent Amazon) pivoting into manufacturing hardware—in an attempt to secure profitability.
It’s as if Apple had it right all along.
http://www.forbes.com/sites/quora/2017/01/25/is-apple-still-innovative/
Where are Apple products made? How much does the iPhone cost to make? A comprehensive breakdown of Apple's product supply chain
And so we return to the original question: Where is an iPhone (or an iPad, or the component parts of any Apple device) made?
The answer is: everywhere. Due to the complex supply chain within each of these companies, the number of countries involved in the manufacturing and even assembly process of Apple's devices is impossibly diverse.
This all goes to show how complex and yet how successful Apple is as a logistical engine, keeping down costs and managing a vast and complicated supply chain with links around the globe.
http://www.macworld.co.uk/feature/apple/where-are-apple-products-made-how-much-does-iphone-cost-make-trump-foxconn-3633832/
RunKeeper offers suite of new features for iOS app
RunKeeper has long been known as one of the better ways to track your fitness through your smartphone.
The update will bring a number of new features, including better and easier social sharing and a simpler way to access your personal records.
http://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/runkeeper-ios-update-social/
Video:
Apple MacBook Pro with Touch Bar (15-inch, 2016)review
https://www.cnet.com/products/apple-macbook-pro-with-touch-bar-15-inch-2016/review/
Apple's MacBook Pro Touch Bar Vs. Windows Touch Screen:
And The Winner Is
I’m going to be as fair as possible (despite my personal preference for the Touch Bar) and say, at the moment, for most laptop users the Windows 10 touch display is the winner. There are simply too many things you can do with a touch screen that you can’t do with Apple’s Touch Bar. But that assessment could change quickly. As Apple refines the Touch Bar, it has the potential to eclipse touch-screen laptops. Time will tell.
http://www.forbes.com/sites/brookecrothers/2017/01/21/apples-macbook-pro-touch-bar-vs-windows-touch-screen-and-the-winner-is/
Apple hopes Logic Pro X support will make the MacBook Pro Touch Bar sing
Two of Apple's apps for musicians and music producers, Logic Pro X for Macs and the iOSversion of GarageBand, are getting free updates that add new features.
Garage Band 2.2 is free for most iOS users, or $5, £4 or AU$7 for some older devices. Logic Pro X 10.3 is a free update for Logic Pro X users, or $199, £149 or AU$319 for new customers. Both software updates should be available on January 18.
https://www.cnet.com/news/apple-hopes-logic-pro-x-support-will-make-the-macbook-pro-touch-bar-sing/
Activating the Apple Watch SOS Emergency Calling Feature
While hopefully you’ll never need to use it, a handy Apple Watch SOS Emergency calling feature can quickly call emergency services anywhere in the world. You’ll need watchOS 3.0 or later installed on a watch.
In an emergency, push and hold the watch’s side button and then slide the Emergency SOS toggle. You’ll need to be paired to an iPhone or connected to a known wireless network with Wi-Fi calling enabled for the call to go through. You’ll use the watch’s speakerphone capability.
No matter where you are,, the watch will automatically call emergency services.
https://appadvice.com/post/activating-apple-watch-sos-emergency-calling/722789
Afraid of being late? Here’s how you can set your Apple Watch’s time to be a few minutes ahead.
Complete instructions are in this article.
http://www.cio.com/article/3160524/smartwatches/apple-watch-how-to-set-the-time-ahead.html
Never lose your data: Here's how to back up your Apple Watch
When you back up your iPhone, all your Apple Watch data will be backed up as well. So, if you perform regular backups of your iPhone, then your Apple Watch data should already be backed up.
http://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/how-to-back-up-apple-watch/
Monday, January 16, 2017
Senior Correspondent Arnold Woodworth's Weekly Wrap-up for 1-15-2017 now with clickable links!
Consumers who want to download the new software right now have to sign up for the company’s Beta program.
The iPhone 4S also ushered in the era of Siri.
Waiting around to see your GP could see be a thing of the past with smartwatches now able to tell when you're getting sick.
They discovered that elevated heart rate and skin temperature recorded by the wearables can act as an early warning system and let you know when you might want to go see your doctor.
Once this is established, variances are easier to spot, and patterns in these changes can be indicators of specific conditions and health problems.
Michael Snyder even used the findings to self diagnose an illness.
On a flight from the US to Norway, he notched changes in his heart rate and blood oxygen levels. These were consistent with the symptoms of Lyme disease.
Having alerted a doctor and been prescribed the appropriate medication, later tests revealed he had indeed contracted Lyme disease from a tick bite.
http://www.dailystar.co.uk/tech/news/578965/Your-Apple-Watch-is-replacing-your-doctor-smartwatch-can-tell-when-you-re-falling-ill
But there are also far stranger elements.
Now Ferrucci is developing the ambitious PriOS management software that Bridgewater anticipates will make three-quarters of its decisions within just five years.
Tuesday, January 10, 2017
Using Pages as a simple text outliner
When you need to make a text outline on a Mac, what software do you use?
You can turn to the dedicated apps such as the Omnigroup’s OmniOutliner 4. Considering your time and budget constraints and just how sophisticated an outline you need for this project…why not use one of Apple’s own text editing tools? Apple gives new owners two editing tools, the basic TextEdit and the more capable Pages. I use Pages.
Unfortunately, Apple doesn’t make it easy to find out for a neophyte to figure out how to make a text outline in Pages. Type in “Outline” into the Help and you get information on outline fonts. Not a lot of help.
After some searching, I have found out how to set up Pages for a simple Harvard style text outline with up to 9 levels of depth.
Here’s how to do it:
First, open Pages. If you bought a Mac recently, you’ll probably find Pages, along with Numbers and Keynote, in the Dock, ready for your use.
Second, double-click on it to launch it. You will see a choice of templates for your writing. For our purposes, you want the blank portrait format on the top row at the left-hand side.
Third, double-click on it. Depending on who’s used it before you, you may get a blank page like this one:
\
How do you get from blank screen to Harvard outline?
Click on the Format icon, which is a paintbrush, in the upper right-hand corner. I’ve put a red box around it to show you.
Now you have the Format Palette at the right-hand side. It contains the controls for formatting your page, such as choosing a font.
Notice the three buttons below the word “Body”.
You want to make sure the Style button is highlighted (darkened). It’s on the left-hand side of these three buttons.
WHERE’ S THE FREAKING OUTLINE?!
To get to the Harvard style outline, click on the button with a default of “None” to the right of the Bullets & Lists item. A list will appear showing the choices.
Double-click on the Harvard style The Roman numeral I will appear on your screen in the upper left-hand quadrant.
To maneuver through this outline, use these keys:
1. Use the up and down arrow keys to move up and down through your outline.
2. To move down in your outline, you can use either the classic MS Word style of just hitting the Tab key or use Apple’s style of Command + ]
3. If you want to move up in your outline, press the Shift+Tab keys together or press Command + [
4. If you want to add an item to your outline, position your cursor at the end of the outline item above where you want to insert the new item Now press the ENTER key.,
5. Use Tab or Shift+Tab to arrange the item in the outline’s hierarchy. I’m used to those keys, but you can use the Apple style of Command + ] and Command + [. Whatever floats your boat.
UP TO NINE LEVELS OF OUTLINING
Questions:
Q: I have the old Pages ’09, not the latest Pages ‘15. How do you get to the Harvard outline in Pages ’09?
A: Good question. Pages ’09 doesn’t have the Format Palette, but uses a toolbar.
You want the toolbar button at the far right, which looks like three lines stacked on top of each other. To verify you’ve got the right button, just place your cursor on a button. Within a few moments, a tooltip will appear giving the button’s function.
Click on the button once or twice, and you’ll get a list of available lists. One of them is Harvard format.
As you see, it starts out with None, same as Pages ’15. You have to double-click on the Harvard selection to switch the list format to Harvard.
When successful, you will see a Roman letter I appear in the upper left-hand quadrant of your screen.
Q: Can I take an outline I’ve created in Pages and use it with Microsoft Word?
A: You have to export the Pages document as a Word .doc (97-2004) or .docx (2008-2016) document. But I tried exporting a simple Pages outline into Word format and it worked fine with Word 2016 on my Mac.
Exporting documents from Pages is in the Files menu, but don’t confuse it with Save As…!
No, you want to save your Pages document to ensure you have a backup. Then click on the Files menu until you get to Export to
You can choose to export in the current .docx format or the older .doc format.
If you have more questions, please put them in the comments or e-mail me at the address at the top of the blog.
Tom Briant
Editor, MacValley Blog
Monday, January 9, 2017
Senior Correspondent Arnold Woodworth's Weekly Web Wrap-up for Sunday, January 8, 2017
iPhone at ten: the revolution continues
I wasn’t present at the unveiling. At the time, I worked for PCMag.com and, though we covered Apple and its products, we didn’t always attend MacWorld (back then, Macs held just a fraction of the then critical desktop market). We were aware that Apple had smartphone ambitions, but they were entering a market dominated by BlackBerry, Palm, Microsoft and Nokia (for less-smart “feature phones”).
There's no question that the growth of the iPhone coincided with the fall of handheld-gaming leader Nintendo.
The world is a different place a decade after Apple introduced its popular smartphone -- in both good and bad ways.
But who's laughing now, huh? AirPods enthusiasts, that's who. It seems that the dental hygiene similarities have an upside: Disguise.
Cupertino is a victim of its own success and is fully responsible for creating the Chinese Android monster.
I don't want any of our technology leaders to fail. But now that it has created the Chinese monster, Apple needs to make course changes and disrupt from within -- or all mobile industry conversations going forward will be Chinese.
Apple MacBook Pro 15-Inch With Touch Bar (Late 2016) Review: Is It Worth The Price?
Reviewed: $2,399 MacBook Pro (15.4-inch) with Touch Bar.
http://www.forbes.com/sites/brookecrothers/2017/01/08/apple-macbook-pro-15-inch-with-touch-bar-late-2016-review-is-it-worth-the-price/
MacBook Pro saves life of man in Florida airport shooting
This article has a picture of his MacBook with a bullet hole in it.
http://www.digitaltrends.com/apple/macbook-pro-stops-bullet-in-florida-shooting/
A recently-passed Russian law requires that any company holding data on Russians house that data within Russia. Russia began blocking LinkedIn's website last November under that law, which some critics argue is an indirect form of censorship.
For the past few weeks, people have been tricked into visiting a phony website embedded with malware that can freeze Apple computers, according to a report this week by the cybersecurity firm Malwarebytes.
Monday, January 2, 2017
Senior Correspondent Arnold Woodworth's Weekly Wrap-up for Monday, January 2, 2017
With its non-expandable memory, one of the major bugbears for iPhone owners is the storage capacity. Whether you've got a 16 or 64GBer, you just know that dreaded "Storage Almost Full" message will pop up at exactly the wrong moment.
This article also has instructions on how to delete an offending message.
Groups have incredible effects on individuals’ behaviours, and have been an area of interest in social psychology for years.
City’ With Billions in Perks for Apple’s Partner
A hidden bounty of benefits for Foxconn’s plant in Zhengzhou, the world’s biggest iPhone factory, is central to the production of Apple’s most profitable product.
